Energy: Green Deal

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have downgraded the assessment of the number of jobs to be created by the Green Deal to 65,000; and when they expect those jobs to start.

Lord Marland: Analysis published in the consultation impact assessment suggests that around 65,000 insulation-sector jobs will be supported by the Green Deal in 2015. This estimate is based on DECC's projections of demand for insulation measures, which have been developed using extensive consumer research. The estimate does not include people employed in the delivery of other energy efficiency and heating measures such as glazing or replacement boilers.
	Earlier estimates of the number of jobs that will be supported by the Green Deal, included in the Energy Bill impact assessment published in December 2010, were illustrative estimates and based on a less sophisticated analysis of uptake than used the consultation impact assessment.
	The Green Deal legislative framework will be in place from autumn 2012 and we expect the number of people employed in the insulation sector to rise from then.

Government Departments: Buildings

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 1 December (HL13613), on how many buildings on the defence estate solar photovoltaic systems were installed before 6 May 2010, and on how many buildings they were installed after 6 May 2010.

Lord Astor of Hever: While a small number of solar photovoltaic schemes are known to have been installed on the defence estate, detailed information is not held centrally and could only be collected and provided at disproportionate cost.

Government Departments: Procurement

Lord Prescott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) date of purchase, (2) amount, (3) supplier and (4) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry of each transaction undertaken by the Cabinet Office using the government procurement card in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09, (d) 2009-10, and (e) 2010-11.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: This Government are committed to transparency and we believe the information regarding government procurement cards for this financial year is the most relevant.
	From October, information on transactions over £500 for 2011-12 for the Cabinet Office has been published on the departmental website, at: http://www. cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cabinet-office-spend-data.
	Future information will be published on a monthly basis. Information on transactions over £500 for 2010-11 and 2009-10 will be published by the end of March 2012. We have no plans to publish information for the previous years.

Honours and Decorations Committee

Lord Craig of Radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Astor of Hever on 26 October (Official Report, col. 856), when the undertaking to carry out an independent review of the Honours and Decorations Committee will begin; who will chair it; and what the terms of reference will be.

Lord Astor of Hever: I refer the noble and gallant Lord to the answer given by my right honourable friend the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans (Andrew Robathan) in the other place on 9 November 2011 (Official Report, col. 368W) to the honourable Member for Bridgend (Madeline Moon).

Human Rights

Lord Lloyd of Berwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have replied to the eight questions set out by the European Court of Human Rights in a Statement of Facts issued in February 2011 in the case of Vinter, Bamber and Moore, reported at 2011 European Court of Human Rights 324; and, if so, what was their response.

Lord McNally: The Government have submitted their observations in respect of the applications made by the three applicants. In brief, we argue that the imposition of a discretionary whole life order for the purposes of punishment and deterrence does not in itself amount to a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights at the point of sentence. Also, a whole life order, when taken with the Secretary of State's discretion under Section 30 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, is not an irreducible life sentence and, in practice, reducibility does not require the possibility of conditional release. In addition, once an appropriate sentence for the purpose of punishment and deterrence has been lawfully determined and imposed by the court-whether that sentence is determinate or a whole life order-it is unnecessary for the sentence to be subjected to continual review. Further, there has been no violation of Article 7 in respect of Bamber and Moore as neither applicant received a penalty which was (a) heavier than that which was applicable at the time they committed their offences or (b) heavier than that which was in fact imposed prior to the High Court's review. I will write to the noble and learned Lord with further details.

Legislation

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what legislation, passed during the 2005-10 Parliament, is the responsibility of the Department for Education and has yet to be brought into force, either in full or in part.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The following Acts, which are the responsibility of the Department for Education and its predecessor departments and which were passed during the 2005-10 Parliament, contain provisions which relate to England but have not yet been brought into force.
	
		
			 Childcare Act 2006 
			 Sections 
			 5 Power to amend Sections 2 and 4, including the definition of "early childhood services" contained in the Act 
		
	
	
		
			 Education and Inspections Act 2006 
			 Sections 
			 74 (1)-(3), (5) Curriculum requirements for the fourth Key Stage 
			 169-171 Prohibition on participation in management of independent schools 
			 Schedule 2 paragraph 17 Effect of referring proposals to establish a new school to an adjudicator 
		
	
	
		
			 Children and Young Persons Act 2008 
			 Sections 
			 4 Regulation of providers of social work services 
			 11-14 Power to make further provision concerning Independent Reviewing Officers 
		
	
	
		
			 Education and Skills Act 2008 
			 Sections 
			 1-67 Duty on young persons to participate in education or training 
			 155 Application of Section 444 Education Act (parent guilty of offence for failing to secure pupil's regular attendance at school) to alternative education provision 
			 157, 158 Duty to obtain view of pupils attending maintained schools 
		
	
	
		
			 Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 
			 Sections 
			 45 Duties in relation to core and additional entitlements 
			 91-99 The apprenticeship offer 
			 145-146 Guided learning 
			 148 (1)(c) Publication of the number of guided hours assigned to qualifications 
			 155 Review of system for allocating values to qualifications 
			 158(3) Relevant qualification for purposes of duty to participate in education and training 
			 246-248 Recording and reporting the use of force in schools and FE institutions 
			 249 (1), (2) Definition of pupil referral unit as "short stay school" 
			 250 Careers education in schools 
		
	
	
		
			 Children, Schools and Families Act 2010 
			 Sections 
			 4(1) Duty on governing body to consider how to exercise the power to provide community facilities 
			 7 Restriction on power of governing body to make proposals to establish new schools 
			 8-10 Local Safeguarding Children Boards 
			 11-21 Family proceedings 
			 22 Amendments to the parent and pupil complaints system

Somalia

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what grants they have made to the Somali Diaspora UK and the Council of Somali Organisations; and whether they will consider applications for assistance from United Kingdom Somaliland organisations.

Baroness Northover: Her Majesty's Government have not to date made grants to the Somali Diaspora UK or the Council of Somali Organisations. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has made grants to other Somali diaspora organisations.
	Both the FCO and the Department for International Development (DfID) would be willing to consider applications from UK diaspora organisations representing any region of Somalia. Funding decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis.
	DfID supports two global initiatives that diaspora groups can access: the Common Ground Initiative, managed by Comic Relief, and the Global Poverty Action Fund. Projects are selected on the basis of demonstrable impact on poverty, clarity of outputs and outcomes, and value for money.